The Strange Flavor of Parthian Chicken from Ancient Rome

Sdílet
Vložit
  • čas přidán 31. 08. 2020
  • For my video on Silphium, click here: • Silphium: Ancient Rome...
    EDIT: The Hou Hanshu is from 445CE (not BCE as it says in the episode)
    Follow Tasting History here:
    Instagram: / tastinghistorywithmaxm...
    Twitter: / tastinghistory1
    Reddit: r/TastingHistory
    Help Support the Channel with Patreon: / tastinghistory
    Tasting History's Amazon Wish List: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls...
    LINKS TO INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENT**
    Canon EOS M50 Camera: amzn.to/3amjvwu
    Canon EF 50mm Lens: amzn.to/3iCrkB8
    Dried Lovage: amzn.to/34KRj5E
    Asafoetida Powder: amzn.to/2G0o4S0
    Colatura di Alici (Garum): amzn.to/2YGZJHo
    Caraway Seeds: amzn.to/32ODRLJ
    Peppercorns: amzn.to/2YJ9pkV
    LINKS TO SOURCES**
    The Classical Cookbook by Andrew Dalby & Sally Grainger: amzn.to/3b4puq6
    The Roman Cookery Book by Barbara Fowler & Elisabeth Rosenbaum: amzn.to/2YIvnnM
    The Silk Road by Valerie Hansen: amzn.to/34KSBxw
    The Western Regions, Xiongnu and Han: From the Shiji, Hanshu and Hou Hanshu by Joseph A Yap: amzn.to/3gGwVVA
    The Silk Trade Between China and the Roman Empire at its Height, Circa A.D. 90-130 by J. Thorley: www.jstor.org/stable/642389?r...
    The Hou Hanshu depts.washington.edu/silkroad...
    **Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links, so each purchase made from this link, whether this product or another, will help to support this channel with no additional cost to you.
    MENTIONED LINKS
    Garum Episode: • I finally made GARUM |...
    Apicius De Re Coquinaria Episode: • Oldest Cookbook in the...
    Pullum Parthicum (Parthian Chicken)
    ORIGINAL 4TH CENTURY RECIPE (From De Re Coquinaria)
    Pullum Parthicum (Parthian Chicken):
    Open the chicken at the rear end and in the square shape. Pound pepper, lovage, a little caraway, moisten with liquamen, blend with wine. Put the chicken in an earthenware pot and pour the sauce over it. Dissolve strong asafoetida in lukewarm water, pour it over the chicken, and let it cook. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.
    MODERN RECIPE
    INGREDIENTS
    - 1 chicken (3-4lbs / 1.5kg)
    - 1 1/2 Teaspoons Black Pepper plus extra for garnish
    - 1 Tablespoons Chopped Lovage (or celery leaf)
    - 1 1/2 Teaspoons Caraway Seeds
    - 3 Tablespoons Garum/Liquamen (Colatura di Alici or Asian Fish Sauce can be used for this)
    - 1 Cup (250ml) Wine (Red or White)
    - ¾ Teaspoons Asafoetida Powder
    - ¼ Cup Lukewarm water
    METHOD
    1. Spatchcock your chicken and place in an oven safe dish. (It can be left in the refrigerator overnight to dry out which will result in a crispier skin)
    2. Preheat your oven to 450°F/230°C.
    3. Mix the lovage, ground black pepper, caraway seeds, garum, and wine in a bowl and pour it over the chicken. Dissolve the asafoetida in lukewarm water in a separate bowl and pour over the chicken.
    4. Bake the chicken for 40-45 minutes or until an instant read thermometer measures 165°F/74°C. To prevent drying, you can baste the chicken several times during cooking, though this is not required.
    5. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Then serve with the sauce is was cooked in and ground pepper.
    PHOTO CREDITS
    Silk Road Map: Nassima Chahboun / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
    The Parthian Shot: Original photo by User:PHGCOM, contoured by myself पाटलिपुत्र / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
    Silk Road in the 1st Century: By User:Kaidor - File:Silk Road in the I century AD - ru.svg, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
    Eurasia in the 2nd Century: SY / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
    City of Merv: Peretz Partensky from San Francisco, USA / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
    Ban Chao: By John Hill - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
    #tastinghistory #ancientrome #parthianempire

Komentáře • 4,8K

  • @TastingHistory
    @TastingHistory  Před 3 lety +1919

    What foods have you tried where the odor makes you wonder what the first person to eat it was thinking?
    Also, EDIT: The Hou Hanshu is from 445CE (not BCE as it says in the episode)

    • @sirloin8745
      @sirloin8745 Před 3 lety +110

      TastingHistory luckily famine in USA is rare. But in China there is an old saying that they 'eat anything on four legs except the table'. You live in a country of abundance. Having said that, looking forward to watching, & maybe trying this! 😋

    • @attonthegreat
      @attonthegreat Před 3 lety +82

      I'm so excited for the next video! In Iran there's a food called کله‌پاچه (kallee-pache) which is basically a head of a lamb (including the brains) which to me is.. questionable lol. Im down for most of the meat in the face of the lamb because its really, really tender! If you haven't had tongue its pretty delicious but I can't bring myself to go anywhere near the eyes or the brains and it makes me think who on earth originally thought it would be a good idea to eat the brains of a lamb

    • @deacowden8749
      @deacowden8749 Před 3 lety +40

      Anything fermented, really.

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Před 3 lety +89

      @@attonthegreat Eek! I don't know that I'd have the courage.

    • @arleeneruiz5019
      @arleeneruiz5019 Před 3 lety +31

      The bull's testicles in Spain 🥴

  • @AsanpiCh
    @AsanpiCh Před 3 lety +4225

    The Parthians telling China they had silk competition to lower prices is the most largest brain business practice I've ever heard of in the ancient world.

    • @directrulefromgamerchair3947
      @directrulefromgamerchair3947 Před 3 lety +407

      "They love me in CHYNA" - The Parthian king, probably

    • @Gurpel
      @Gurpel Před 3 lety +138

      as a guy who read a wikipedia article, i seem to remember that the romans had something called "sea silk" actually.

    • @sinisterthoughts2896
      @sinisterthoughts2896 Před 3 lety +29

      "Largest brain"

    • @idrisa7909
      @idrisa7909 Před 3 lety +137

      Gurpel yeah that's still made today by a single Jewish family in Italy. They're like... the only few women who know how to make it anymore and I think snails or something provide the fibers?

    • @apricotcotlet197
      @apricotcotlet197 Před 3 lety +52

      @@idrisa7909 A sea snail

  • @BacchaeOphanim
    @BacchaeOphanim Před 3 lety +5041

    "I don't know what I'm tasting."
    History - you're tasting history.

  • @apocalypticexcavator5454
    @apocalypticexcavator5454 Před 3 lety +2209

    i believe the "dissolving asafetida separately" thing wasn't meant to change the flavor of the chicken, but rather save your bowls. Some aromas tend to infuse wooden or clay bowls like forever, so perhaps it just tells the cook to dessignate a special small "asafetida-dissolving-bowl" that's gonna stink of it forever without risking you'rll loose a larger, multipurpose bowl.

    • @prestonjones1653
      @prestonjones1653 Před 3 lety +125

      That makes a lotnof sense actually

    • @Nemshee
      @Nemshee Před 3 lety +242

      Anybody else read that as 'save your bowels'? No? Only me? Okay, carry on... 😅

    • @KayElayempea
      @KayElayempea Před 2 lety +51

      That makes sense, I thought maybe the chicken was supposed to be marinated in the first sauce before the asafetida was added.

    • @amyfay5791
      @amyfay5791 Před 2 lety +13

      @@Nemshee i also saw that lol

    • @Thrillhou
      @Thrillhou Před 2 lety +51

      @@KayElayempea that's my thinking too, but either could be true. I'd have to see the original Latin to know whether it's "pour them one at a time" or "pour one, then pour the other (a short time later) or (after a while) or (just before putting in oven). It would depend on the prepositon and the use of an ablative, or the specific verb.
      If I think of it, I'll look up the original text and follow up on this when I get back to my desk.

  • @miguelreal4459
    @miguelreal4459 Před 3 lety +362

    Parthians are like the store at my school that sold Arizona cans for $1.25 when they were supposed to be $0.50.

    • @DaoFAQ
      @DaoFAQ Před 3 lety +66

      You can actually write to Arizona if you ever see their product being sold for more than a dollar, they’ll send the seller a formal letter and if they’re caught doing it again they’ll come in and take all their stock

    • @37thgungrunts
      @37thgungrunts Před 2 lety +35

      @@DaoFAQ they dont take the stock. They blacklist them.

    • @abdielrainbowhellsangel2256
      @abdielrainbowhellsangel2256 Před 2 lety +10

      Report the hell out of em! Hahahaha 🤣

  • @overestimatedforesight
    @overestimatedforesight Před 3 lety +2731

    "I'm sure many people found my channel from Garum"
    Yep. The algorithm really liked that one.

    • @codysing1223
      @codysing1223 Před 3 lety +31

      So happy we did.
      Always wanted to make Garum since I read about it... but didn't want to muck it up.

    • @InsaneD602
      @InsaneD602 Před 3 lety +18

      This popped up while I was watching work out videos no idea why but I’m with it

    • @merten0083
      @merten0083 Před 3 lety +12

      fr, I heard about garum from the video of Roman soldiers making dinner, then I saw this guy make his own garum and I was hooked

    • @riograndedosulball248
      @riograndedosulball248 Před 3 lety +5

      I really want to make Garum, but the prospect of messing it up with fermented fish and then eating it... I'm not sure of it

    • @justinheath72
      @justinheath72 Před 3 lety

      How does he know!?

  • @censusgary
    @censusgary Před 3 lety +1454

    Asafoetida is usually called “hing” in Indian cooking. It’s available at Indian and Middle Eastern grocery stores.

    • @frosty_rose1.o169
      @frosty_rose1.o169 Před 3 lety +23

      Thxs

    • @isstuff
      @isstuff Před 3 lety +56

      Get another old air tight jar and put that stinky stuff in its container inside the other jar. My partner made some tasty rice in an Indian style with this stuff. I will have to try it in this dish.

    • @edgriffin6732
      @edgriffin6732 Před 3 lety +23

      This is important information. Thanks!

    • @Ladeliciadelinda
      @Ladeliciadelinda Před 3 lety +28

      I didn’t think it was stinky but my boyfriend said hing/asafetida smells like smelly armpits

    • @edgriffin6732
      @edgriffin6732 Před 3 lety +99

      @@Ladeliciadelinda my whole family smells like smelly armpits so that shouldn't be a problem

  • @Maichen13
    @Maichen13 Před rokem +473

    You can find Asafoetida in Indian grocery stores, it's usually in a white bottle labeled Hing. Jain cuisine doesn't use onion or garlic, so they use it to give a similar flavor.

    • @samspade2657
      @samspade2657 Před rokem +35

      Not just Jains, but Vaisnavas do not use onion or garlic. No ancient temple uses onion or garlic. They use hing instead.

    • @megancrager4397
      @megancrager4397 Před rokem +9

      @@samspade2657 oh cool. Why not?

    • @samspade2657
      @samspade2657 Před rokem +37

      @@megancrager4397 Because they are karmicly equivalent to eating meat and cloud the mind with passion and ignorance. These items can not be offered to Krsna.

    • @Maichen13
      @Maichen13 Před rokem +5

      @@feitmeI keep mine in a metal tin to keep down the smell in the pantry. As for cooking with it, try adding it to the oil after it's heated up.

    • @samspade2657
      @samspade2657 Před rokem +7

      @@feitme You heat up your oil, when it is hot you add your spices, the last item you add is the hing. Let is cook a for a few seconds. Then add your other ingredients what ever they may be. I am a vegetarian, so...

  • @thegeneralissimo470
    @thegeneralissimo470 Před 3 lety +524

    The advantage of having a historical food channel is everything is out of copyright.

    • @JonatasAdoM
      @JonatasAdoM Před 3 lety +6

      Is food copyrighted?

    • @Lantispitfire
      @Lantispitfire Před 2 lety +3

      @@JonatasAdoM nah but pictures could be

    • @lotrbuilders5041
      @lotrbuilders5041 Před 2 lety +4

      @@JonatasAdoM recipes and recipe books have copyright just like other texts and books

    • @MrPlanx
      @MrPlanx Před 2 lety +17

      @@lotrbuilders5041 - Recipes can not be copyrighted or patented.

    • @omoleceline3781
      @omoleceline3781 Před 2 lety +3

      It's not as if he is claiming the recipes as his personal creations.

  • @thesexybatman263
    @thesexybatman263 Před 3 lety +880

    I came expecting an exotic chicken recipe, ended up learning about trading on the Silk Road during the 1st. century B.C.
    11/10. Would learn again.

    • @akirak1871
      @akirak1871 Před 3 lety +23

      Exactly what I thought... It's part cooking video, part history lesson - two of my favorite things put together! Also ordered some asafoetida on Amazon and gonna try this when it gets here.

  • @bluebagelman1920
    @bluebagelman1920 Před 3 lety +734

    I’m a history teacher. Your explanation of the ancient Silk Road was one of the best I’ve ever heard!
    Awesome channel and chicken 🙂

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Před 3 lety +92

      Thank you!

    • @nyanates
      @nyanates Před 3 lety +25

      I love history. Can’t get enough of it now that I’m older. I drive my wife crazy at museums because I have to read everything. Teach on!!

    • @pirateyarn6331
      @pirateyarn6331 Před 3 lety +13

      Have you tried watching Overly Sarcastic Productions History episodes? Blue (nickname he uses on the channel) also has some completely fun summaries of Western European / Middle Eastern History (his passion is ancient Greece).

    • @ebparsa
      @ebparsa Před 3 lety +12

      He is actually wrong. Persia itself exported a lot of goods such as wine (hence the origin of Shiraz wine). Precious metals such as turquoise, dried fruits and most of all, Persian rugs (the best in the world) and copperware. The list is actually too long to mention. In fact, there was and still is a thing called Persian silk. That was low in quantity but high in quality, which was used in the ever-hungry rug industry.

    • @iamarizonaball2642
      @iamarizonaball2642 Před 3 měsíci

      @@TastingHistory apologies for the ping, but perhaps you could make a dish from the ancient southwestern united states?

  • @colorsred2771
    @colorsred2771 Před 3 lety +559

    China: Has a monopoly on silk
    Parthia: I'm about to pull a Pro-Gamer Move

  • @audram1349
    @audram1349 Před 2 lety +566

    First things first: Max, I love this chicken, it's a huge hit with the entire family. Thank you for the inspiration to try it! Second, If you're not very concerned about carbs, rice goes wonderfully with the remaining liquids. I just pour it into my instant pot with an equal amount of rice and turn it on. The complex flavors saturate all the rice grains and infuse it with the very essence of Parthian Chicken. It's even great the day after, when all the yummy chicken is naught but a memory!

    • @Karenlowry1
      @Karenlowry1 Před 2 lety +17

      I wonder if jasmine rice would make a good combo with those juices too! I LOVE jasmine rice.

    • @audram1349
      @audram1349 Před 2 lety +17

      @@Karenlowry1 It's what I had also, Karen, it worked out great!

    • @Karenlowry1
      @Karenlowry1 Před 2 lety +13

      @@audram1349 It sounds amazing! I'll have to wait a bit to be able to afford the ingredients what with the holidays coming up quick, but this sounds like something really great to have on a cold January evening :P

    • @MNewsTime
      @MNewsTime Před 2 lety +6

      Did you add any water in the pot, or just use the remaining liquid ? Gonna try this recipe next weekend I’ll try the rice as well !

    • @noobbotgaming2173
      @noobbotgaming2173 Před 2 lety +4

      @@MNewsTime I would assume some water was added. Although not too much because I imagine the chicken juices infuse the rice with flavour.

  • @ttytty6940
    @ttytty6940 Před 3 lety +1067

    It’s funny in hou han shu 后汉书 the Chinese described the Parthian people as a honest & benevolent giant white peoples who is good at conducting business 😂😂😂

    • @sonikku956
      @sonikku956 Před 3 lety +79

      Well, Iranian and Afghan people are fairly tall today, right?

    • @chapiit08
      @chapiit08 Před 3 lety +14

      Well, they are taking revenge now.

    • @casinodelonge
      @casinodelonge Před 3 lety +34

      Donald Trump was indeed a time traveler.

    • @danle7022
      @danle7022 Před 3 lety +39

      Good at business, so no

    • @alanOHALAN
      @alanOHALAN Před 3 lety +36

      The Chinese described the Romans as honest and tall white people, in hou han shu, but they heard from the middle men. Parthians were more like the Huns and Mongols.

  • @sweepingtime
    @sweepingtime Před 3 lety +382

    Legend has it that Parthian mounted archers would twist around in their saddles, and take a big bite out of the delicious chicken in their hands. Thus demoralized with hunger, the enemy would be defeated quickly.

    • @La_abbess
      @La_abbess Před 3 lety +5

      😹

    • @greatmaddyave
      @greatmaddyave Před 3 lety +3

      This is dumb

    • @musthavmusic
      @musthavmusic Před 3 lety +20

      @@greatmaddyave it's silly, lighten up

    • @YuiFunami
      @YuiFunami Před 3 lety +9

      they also probably tossed some of the powder over walls and stank up the whole city to surrender

    • @VidyaAntics
      @VidyaAntics Před 3 lety +7

      @@greatmaddyave this is an excellent joke about "Parthian shots" and you have lost your right to comment on humour.

  • @hexa3389
    @hexa3389 Před 3 lety +316

    In French, the translation of asafoetida is literally "devil's shit"

    • @theeasternmongoose
      @theeasternmongoose Před 2 lety +23

      Same in Romania, though we make sure the "shit" part reffers to cow shit

    • @larswesterhausen7262
      @larswesterhausen7262 Před 2 lety +22

      @@theeasternmongoose "Devil's dirt" in German.

    • @linalowinkelman6525
      @linalowinkelman6525 Před 2 lety +12

      The dutch translates it to that too!

    • @AlexanderVlasov
      @AlexanderVlasov Před 2 lety +16

      Same in Czech, "devil's manure"

    • @4philipp
      @4philipp Před 2 lety +3

      No wonder it tastes like donkey ass. I’m familiar with THAT flavor

  • @SwedishSinologyNerd
    @SwedishSinologyNerd Před rokem +117

    Later on the romans actually DID get silk worms, two byzantine monks travelled all the way to China, got some silk worm eggs that they hid in their cloaks (because getting found out was an instant death sentence) and managed to bring them back to Justinian I who created the byzantine silk industry

    • @annalieff-saxby568
      @annalieff-saxby568 Před rokem

      I've always heard that silkworm eggs were first smuggled out of China inside a hollow staff.

    • @adenbrett8183
      @adenbrett8183 Před 9 měsíci +6

      The versions I heard all stated that they hid the worm eggs in their hollow staves

  • @yeastori
    @yeastori Před 3 lety +333

    I was so engrossed in the history lesson I forgot we were even making chicken

    • @mrartdeco
      @mrartdeco Před 3 lety +2

      Most come here for the history.. so... no wonder

    • @TheOtherMontoya
      @TheOtherMontoya Před 3 lety +1

      This

    • @prestonjones1653
      @prestonjones1653 Před 3 lety +1

      @@mrartdeco
      I like the history I love cooking so.this is like finding the Ark of the Covenant for me.

  • @Noone-kd1be
    @Noone-kd1be Před 3 lety +881

    Would definitely like to see the “silfium” episode.

    • @coffeefox5703
      @coffeefox5703 Před 3 lety +10

      @Kendra VanBurkleo What? He has 308K subscribers. Plus Tik Tok is being banned in several countries besides the United States... why the hell would he divert attention from CZcams, to Tik Tok and instragram of all places?

    • @mahna_mahna
      @mahna_mahna Před 3 lety +8

      @Kendra VanBurkleo I feel like you might have taken a joke as a serious statement.

    • @amitkumar-sz6ze
      @amitkumar-sz6ze Před 3 lety +5

      Parthian empire was a Vedic one and features in Puran. Hing is a daily ingredient in India and other South Asian countries

    • @BeaglefreilaufKalkar
      @BeaglefreilaufKalkar Před 3 lety

      Me too!

    • @maddragonqueen_
      @maddragonqueen_ Před 3 lety

      YES

  • @marcz2903
    @marcz2903 Před rokem +292

    Max I really hope you read this, because I made this recipe and I need to share the experience. So, at first I couldn't taste much, but there was something there that was really strange, but weirdly good. So, I reduced the liquid down a bit and then whisked some flour in to make a gravy. Once I did that, I took a bite of the chicken with the gravy and it was delicious. First thing I got was the salt from the garum, then, quickly, the mushroomy umami flavor that you described, which I think was also the garum. Then the bitterness from the lovage, then this strange indescribable flavor just sort of peeks in and disappears, which I realized was the asafoetida. Like rotten onions, but in a weirdly good way. If you know, you know. Anyway, then the Caraway just sort of slowly saunters in with this almost-but-not-quite sweet flavor, and running through all of that was a faint smokey flavor that I couldn't figure out where it came from until I realized came from the wine. I used a red wine blend that had been aged in whiskey barrels. All this happens in just a couple seconds and I had to close my eyes and really focus. What an interesting flavor profile! I'm making this gravy for steak tips, because that mushroom flavor just cries out for a steak!

    • @lindapeterson5810
      @lindapeterson5810 Před rokem +4

      That is a lovely description!

    • @marcz2903
      @marcz2903 Před rokem +12

      @@lindapeterson5810 thank you. Also, I can confirm that it makes wonderful steak tips.

    • @isstuff
      @isstuff Před rokem +1

      I will have to reduce it into gravy! I love the flavour but sounds like there is more to be had.

    • @ActuallyCPOS
      @ActuallyCPOS Před rokem +7

      Thanks for the gravy idea! I made the recipe the first time exactly as described but the second time I made adjustments reading folks’ comments… I made a roux to thicken the abundant amount of sauce leftover, switched from red wine to white, slightly more lovage. MUCH better (for me anyway), and in keeping with ancient themes I served it with farro instead of rice. You get so much gravy afterwards you can put that stuff on a hockey puck and it’ll taste fine

    • @marcz2903
      @marcz2903 Před rokem +4

      @@ActuallyCPOS mmm...puck. 😋

  • @dingus_doofus
    @dingus_doofus Před 3 lety +497

    This is the ancient times' General Tso's Chicken.

  • @sydneyparker7150
    @sydneyparker7150 Před 3 lety +610

    "Sorry Professor, I can't be on Zoom tomorrow, I have to watch Tasting History when it premieres."

    • @maureengrandchamp9329
      @maureengrandchamp9329 Před 3 lety +21

      Have your professor play it during class. It is educational, after all. Problem solved!

    • @averagejoey2000
      @averagejoey2000 Před 3 lety +14

      @@maureengrandchamp9329 have to be careful about that, Max's eyes might turn all the men gay and all the girls straight.
      Tasting history made me bi. You've gotta be careful showing off this man.

    • @metal_monocle7334
      @metal_monocle7334 Před 3 lety +7

      I mean.... I teach history and cooking (oh and English as a second language), I'd give any student of mine who said that a free pass.

    • @JosiahKillion
      @JosiahKillion Před 3 lety

      Was late to work, myself.

    • @andrewhinson4323
      @andrewhinson4323 Před 3 lety +3

      "Oh crap, is that tomorrow?! Yeah, nvm, class is cancelled"
      - Your Professor, probably.

  • @caKravartin9
    @caKravartin9 Před 3 lety +1391

    It's a beautiful ingredient and is used quite extensively in Indian cooking and also has some neat digestive properties

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Před 3 lety +495

      It was at our local Indian market where I got it. I've had to wrap it in 3 layers of protection to stop it from smelling up my pantry.

    • @user-nm8nh3kq8y
      @user-nm8nh3kq8y Před 3 lety +229

      @@TastingHistory A pinch of this and a pinch of cumin powder with little salt is an ancient remedy for helping with disgestive problems in India.. it tastes DISGUSTING, but it works better than the best meds😂😂.. Mind you, a PINCH. It's called "Heeng" in Hindi/Urdu, and is a staple in Indian cuisine !! A big fan and a subscriber of your amazong channel !! Hope you and yours are keeping safe.

    • @stijn2472
      @stijn2472 Před 3 lety +16

      @@TastingHistory I heard it smells like sulfur. Is that true?

    • @nafismubashir2479
      @nafismubashir2479 Před 3 lety +17

      @@stijn2472 no

    • @chayew4660
      @chayew4660 Před 3 lety +28

      @@stijn2472 well, yes, kinda, but not really, its more like, a pungent sharp smell

  • @kpujari30
    @kpujari30 Před 3 lety +330

    Asafoetida is a very common ingredient in Indian cooking, almost no tempering is complete without a dash of Asafoetida or "Heeng" as it's called in most Indian languages. Love your videos!

    • @PhilMasters
      @PhilMasters Před 3 lety +16

      Yeah, we have asafoetida in the cupboard (in the UK) because we sometimes follow Indian recipes.

    • @winterfoxx6363
      @winterfoxx6363 Před 2 lety +8

      Yes! Came here to say this. Also good to know is it usually gets mixed with wheat to prevent clumping and as a filler, so people with wheat/gluten allergies should be sure to check the ingredients

    • @reinhardkrauss2981
      @reinhardkrauss2981 Před 2 lety +1

      Asafoetida

    • @leek2638
      @leek2638 Před 2 lety +1

      It's so addictive!

    • @WastingTime1878
      @WastingTime1878 Před 2 lety +1

      Its an incredible flavour. Dont know how someone can go around making a decent daal with using asafoetida and lamb as well.

  • @fraum3725
    @fraum3725 Před 2 lety +129

    English not being my first language I had to look up some of the ingredients - and was quite surprised: Lovage actually is a well known herb in Germany. It's name is "Liebstöckel" (love stick) but we also call it "Maggi-Kraut" (Maggi herb) because it smells and tastes like the very(!) popular Maggi soup condiment.

    • @m_shhh4596
      @m_shhh4596 Před 10 měsíci +11

      In Ukrainian we call it "liubystok" - the root still "to love" - both like infinitive form and as an order "love me!". stok... well, doesn't really mean anything now. My grandma used to make a strong "tea" of lovage to rinse my hair "so the boys will love you". Dunno about that effect but it's really good as a hair rinse although has this signature scent (not unpleasant at all but you know it when you smell it)

    • @supersonictumbleweed
      @supersonictumbleweed Před 8 měsíci +1

      Because the main ingredient in Maggi is Liebstöckel!

    • @fraum3725
      @fraum3725 Před 8 měsíci +1

      @@supersonictumbleweed No, in Maggi is no Liebstöckel, it just tastes and smells similar.

    • @supersonictumbleweed
      @supersonictumbleweed Před 8 měsíci +1

      @@fraum3725 weird. I could swore it

    • @anarchoutis
      @anarchoutis Před 6 měsíci +1

      @@supersonictumbleweed Maggi uses celery salt, not lovage.

  • @banditmc12
    @banditmc12 Před 3 lety +439

    Damn crassus just wanted some chicken and the parthians killed him smh

    • @sirbillius
      @sirbillius Před 3 lety +29

      And he sure as hell wasn’t going to share it with an extra 40,000 Armenians.

    • @connorgolden4
      @connorgolden4 Před 3 lety +18

      Maybe he tried to dine and dash?

    • @darthplagueis13
      @darthplagueis13 Před 3 lety +18

      @@connorgolden4 I mean, you probably don't become one of the richest men in rome by paying what you owe....

    • @JaspalRihal
      @JaspalRihal Před 3 lety +4

      It's times like this I wish I could post the "I understood that reference" meme from Avengers on CZcams.

    • @BubbyoftheMountain
      @BubbyoftheMountain Před 3 lety +4

      @@JaspalRihal it'll somehow end up being a JoJo reference

  • @bkarsh
    @bkarsh Před 3 lety +679

    This was a great recipe. It really stunk up my house. However as the cooking completed, the stink subsided, replaced with a wondrous scent. Pretty much echo what Max said, it tastes like chicken - with subtle lovage and umami taste. I found the caraway seed taste pretty prominent. But delicious, and a taste that lingers (in a good way) long after you’re done eating.

    • @Corrodias
      @Corrodias Před 2 lety +21

      Perhaps heating the asafetida changes its character. Very interesting.

    • @leek2638
      @leek2638 Před 2 lety +26

      @@Corrodias It really does. I primarily use it when I make a vaguely Indian style lentils, and I use it the way I do all of the other spices, meaning that I drop them all into hot oil and let them cook for a few seconds before I start adding vegetables. The scent of the asafoetida changes the instant it hits the oil,from fetid to a hard to describe deliciousness

  • @colingeer479
    @colingeer479 Před rokem +80

    Long term response:
    I've been making Parthean Chicken since first watching Max's video about it and observing his reaction which was priceless! It has become my most favourite dish and something I offer special guests. I owe Max a huge debt of gratitude for showing me such a different and wonderful taste experience. One point I would like to make is that this recipe always leaves me with a burning question: what other culinary delights have we lost over the centuries? I keep track of the search for silphium and hope it is either found or in some way re-created.
    To recap, thank you so much for another great video and if you haven't tried making this recipe, I urge you to give it a go!

  • @PolinaCedric
    @PolinaCedric Před rokem +57

    There's something really wonderful in the fact that after making many Ancient Roman recipes on the channel, Max has definitely learned to recognize that many of them share a taste profile, so alien to us in modern times but very distinctly Roman. Same for Medieval European recipes. The same way we can order Chinese or Indian or any other type of food unfamiliar to us, and recognize the techniques and spice mixtures specific to each culture, so does every time period have its own taste profile. Anyone has a spare time machine to go on a historic food tour with me?

  • @cultclassic999
    @cultclassic999 Před 3 lety +616

    You can find asafoetida for cheap in an Indian store. It's called "hing" in Hindi.

    • @panzerkiller13
      @panzerkiller13 Před 3 lety +5

      Thank you!

    • @bodyofhope
      @bodyofhope Před 3 lety +2

      Hing! I've heard of this! Thank you

    • @albirasistendragen
      @albirasistendragen Před 3 lety

      he literally links to hing on amazon

    • @cultclassic999
      @cultclassic999 Před 3 lety +33

      @@albirasistendragen Yup, for $13. You can get that at an Indian store for like 2-3$

    • @RubyTwilite
      @RubyTwilite Před 3 lety +7

      I love local Indian stores! I get the best stuff! I bought Hing but haven't worked up the courage to open the bottle! This video might inspire me.

  • @truthhurtz2793
    @truthhurtz2793 Před 3 lety +312

    I made this yesterday.........ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL !!!
    I used celery leaf for the Lovage, Fish Sauce + 1 tea. Anchovy Paste for the Garum, and 1.5 tea. of my (very yellow) Asafoetida.
    I Spatchcocked the Chicken, (which sounds both Immoral, and Illegal), and cooked according to instructions-(I did baste a few times during the cooking process).
    This Chicken was so very good, and so very easy-I recommend that everyone try it !!!
    I poured off the juices, refrigerated overnight-skimmed off the fat, (which I definitely saved !!), and poured the de-fatted liquid over the remaining meat the next day. 10 times the flavor as the day before !!!
    Thank you, Sir for introducing me to a New-Old Way- of cooking chicken !!!

    • @AnastaciaInCleveland
      @AnastaciaInCleveland Před 3 lety +2

      Did you use fresh celery leaf or dried? How much of it did you use? I ask because our host used dried lovage leaves, and the fresh herb to dried herb ratio is 3:1. I would be inclined to use the fresh leaves from celery which is one of the ingredients in my chicken potage and some of my other dishes. Thanks in advance of your reply! ~ Anastacia in Cleveland. PS - Adding anchovy paste to the fish sauce is genius!

    • @truthhurtz2793
      @truthhurtz2793 Před 3 lety +3

      I used 1 Tablespoon of dried celery leaf-I eat celery all the time and always save the leaves.
      Thank you very much for the compliment. 😀

    • @AnastaciaInCleveland
      @AnastaciaInCleveland Před 3 lety

      @@truthhurtz2793 Oh, you're welcome! Thanks for your reply! I'm excited to try this dish. Cheers!

    • @truthhurtz2793
      @truthhurtz2793 Před 3 lety +2

      @@AnastaciaInCleveland You are going to LOVE it !!!
      I wish you the best !!

    • @AnastaciaInCleveland
      @AnastaciaInCleveland Před 3 lety

      @@truthhurtz2793 Likewise! 🙂

  • @kiyoaki1985
    @kiyoaki1985 Před 3 lety +18

    I wondered what "lovage" was, until I looked up the Latin name and then found out what it was in Dutch. Turns out it's something that grows in my garden and which I use in omelettes all the time, it tastes great and has a unique flavor.

  • @yamanmustafa7574
    @yamanmustafa7574 Před 2 lety +51

    Schwartz (herbs/spices) have Asafoetida in Morissons, and most likely other supermarkets. Priced at £1.65 each or 2 for £2. Be nice if fellow Brits liked this to spread awareness.
    Saw it in the supermarket today and came straight here to let you guys know!

    • @Tiger89Lilly
      @Tiger89Lilly Před rokem +5

      If you read the back there's very little asafoetida in the schwarts and other supermarket spices it's mostly tumeric. I suppose you can buy that if you want but you'd probably want 2 tsps due to the very low amount of asafoetida. I personally just buy it online

  • @dubheasa
    @dubheasa Před 3 lety +726

    I'm deathly allergic to garlic and onions. I use asofetida exclusively. It is also known as "Devil's Dung." Once it's bloomed in a bit of oil, the flavor is delightful.

    • @bodyofhope
      @bodyofhope Před 3 lety +28

      Same here! Great tip. I miss garlic terribly 😭

    • @bethanymcmurtrey9542
      @bethanymcmurtrey9542 Před 3 lety +123

      That is the second saddest allergy ever, after chocolate. Nothing is sadder than being allergic to chocolate.

    • @NecromancyForKids
      @NecromancyForKids Před 3 lety +36

      Gee, I wonder who here is vegan...

    • @omfug7148
      @omfug7148 Před 3 lety +6

      @@NecromancyForKids LOL

    • @Platypi007
      @Platypi007 Před 3 lety +20

      @@VeganV5912 I feel stupider for having skimmed that long pile of nonsense.

  • @MostlyPonies1
    @MostlyPonies1 Před 3 lety +721

    "Pound some lovage into your chicken's rear end."

  • @evocati6523
    @evocati6523 Před 3 lety +33

    "Open the chicken's rear and put in some lovage"
    Woah, woah hold up now

    • @daddydangerous20
      @daddydangerous20 Před 2 lety +1

      LMAO.. At least take the chicken out on a date first..

  • @aparajitachakraborty9592
    @aparajitachakraborty9592 Před 3 lety +30

    Assfoetida is actually quite heavily used in modern day Indian cooking. it does smell different from most things used in cooking but most people including me actually quite like it but then again we've mostly grown up with it. it was interesting to know its history.

  • @connorgolden4
    @connorgolden4 Před 3 lety +490

    Looks pretty damn good. Makes me wonder if Parthian KFC was half the reason the Romans warred with the parthians.

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Před 3 lety +89

      Ha! Now I want KFC.

    • @anoobiscooking1193
      @anoobiscooking1193 Před 3 lety +13

      @@TastingHistory pls dont. U make better chicken than kfc...

    • @KetchupwithMaxandJose
      @KetchupwithMaxandJose Před 3 lety +7

      @@anoobiscooking1193 Hey I love KFC

    • @anoobiscooking1193
      @anoobiscooking1193 Před 3 lety +3

      @@KetchupwithMaxandJose nice. Try makin em. U might surprise urself.

    • @13thMaiden
      @13thMaiden Před 3 lety +16

      Hmmmm wonder if you could mix those spices into a flour/cornmeal mix (yes that's the base of KFC's frying batter) and get an interesting fried chicken version of this? You'd have to mix the wine and garum with the egg mixture instead but still, it be interesting to try in a fried format.

  • @LLawliet1011
    @LLawliet1011 Před 3 lety +126

    your mouth says you can't wait to try it but your eyes say "I'm doing this because I love you guys and if I die remember me fondly"

  • @onemercilessming1342
    @onemercilessming1342 Před 9 měsíci +6

    Asafoetida? In the 1950s, I wore a small handmade sachet bag around my neck. It was called an asafoetida bag, it stank to high heaven, and it was meant to keep a child from acquiring colds or the flu. It worked well, mostly because no sensible person got within sneezing distance of me.

  • @user-ue5fr3iv9b
    @user-ue5fr3iv9b Před 3 lety +50

    A few weeks ago, I tried to make this dish myself.
    The grilled chicken skin is crispy and tastes good.

  • @DrakesdenChannel
    @DrakesdenChannel Před 3 lety +325

    "Let's cook delicious food!"
    "A cat died in the wall and it stunk."

    • @bellenesatan
      @bellenesatan Před 3 lety +14

      Arizona dead wallcat is the BEST spice, I can't believe the cat came all the way from Rome!

  • @Carloshache
    @Carloshache Před 3 lety +251

    I cooked this some years ago - remember it as pretty good as long as you don't use too much garum or asafetida. The Parthians were an Iranian peope (from present day Turkmenistan) that ruled over Persia. Later Persian medieval dishes are not very different in their spice composition to this. Here's an early medieval recipe for "sibagh" (sour condiment for fish): asafetida, wine vinegar, celery water, mint water, caraway and murri (a fermented barley sauce - a relative of Garum). Only a few minor differences!
    Another relative of Garum exists today in southern Iran and some Gulf countries: a fish sauce called Mahyawa.

    • @trojanette8345
      @trojanette8345 Před 3 lety +5

      Yes, I've heard of it (Mahyawa). My step-dad is Middle Eastern. He introduced it to my mom when they married.

    • @SonofSethoitae
      @SonofSethoitae Před 3 lety +4

      Isn't Turkmenistan a bit too far north for Parthia? I was told that their ancestral land was south of Hyrcania, in modern day north-eastern Iran and south-western Afghanistan.

  • @larsvanderheeg4305
    @larsvanderheeg4305 Před 3 lety +42

    Once again: Thank you for an interesting show. Yes! Asafoetida mix perfectly with chicken (or silk tofu). If you fry small rings of spring onion or young leek in oil a dash of garlic, and half a dash of habanero, asafoetida, s&p and some freshly grounded coriander seeds you will again find this wonderful taste, now from the mixture of asafoetida and coriander.
    Post Scriptum: Asafoetida has four names in Sweden: 'asafoetida', 'hing', 'stinknäva' (stinking ferula) and dyvelsträck (the dung of the devil).

    • @crystalheart9
      @crystalheart9 Před rokem +3

      So the smell goes away when you cook with it?

    • @crystalheart9
      @crystalheart9 Před rokem +2

      @@theholypopechodeii4367 Interesting.

    • @annalieff-saxby568
      @annalieff-saxby568 Před rokem +2

      I've always known it as "hing" and use it, when called for, in Indian recipes. Max has opened up a whole world of alternative uses!

  • @jamiegould7951
    @jamiegould7951 Před rokem +22

    I had never heard of Asofoetida until you started using it in historical recipes... it's turned up in the spice aisle of my local supermarket now! (In the UK)

    • @grimble4564
      @grimble4564 Před rokem +2

      It's probably been there and if you've ever had Indian food in your life, you've definitely eaten it before

  • @kristiehollis4018
    @kristiehollis4018 Před 3 lety +302

    Who else gets excited when they see a new episode of Tasting History in the CZcams feed?!?😄

    • @twitchycygnus
      @twitchycygnus Před 3 lety +2

      Right? He's so new to the platform from what I can tell, but has become so popular.

    • @mrsary7868
      @mrsary7868 Před 3 lety +2

      This is the only channel where I'm caught up watching the back catalogue so it's nice when a new one shows up.

    • @auauau202
      @auauau202 Před 3 lety +1

      Every. Time.

    • @darrena2625
      @darrena2625 Před 3 lety

      Absolutely ! And now I fancy a glass of red wine nomnomnom

    • @heartofgod86
      @heartofgod86 Před 3 lety

      I know I do!

  • @Btn1136
    @Btn1136 Před 3 lety +124

    The best part about you being honest when a dish doesn’t turn out well is how sincere you are when it does. Bravo, chef!

    • @acristea
      @acristea Před 3 lety +1

      I made it, and it absolutely turned out well. Definitely a weird, but very interesting flavour.

  • @MMAFLIXCHILL
    @MMAFLIXCHILL Před 2 lety +13

    What I love about your channel aside from it being a fun binge-worthy adventure is the people following you. This has got to be one of the most sophisticated community on youtube. Great job. Keep up the good work. Also. Can you show us what Ghengis Khan ate?

  • @jm9371
    @jm9371 Před 3 lety +8

    I love the random stuffed animal in the bottom left with each episode.. Just noticed that after like 15 episodes... Love this channel.

  • @HannahPartyOfOne
    @HannahPartyOfOne Před 3 lety +363

    Plot twist: This is actually a Pokemon Plushie channel disguising itself as a history cooking channel.

    • @macaroll
      @macaroll Před 3 lety +9

      right?! the plushies are so cute every episode!

    • @nomelet01
      @nomelet01 Před 3 lety +6

      Who told you it was suppose to be a secret

    • @dogsarmpits
      @dogsarmpits Před 3 lety +6

      Shhhh it is a secret

    • @mikajen9126
      @mikajen9126 Před 3 lety +3

      It's true. Pokemon will not stop until it takes over the world.

    • @joelcox8858
      @joelcox8858 Před 3 měsíci +1

      Ditto

  • @Mysteri0usChannel
    @Mysteri0usChannel Před 3 lety +217

    I'm German, and when you mentioned Lovage and it being hard to get I was like "What the Heck is lovage?"
    Looked it up, and found out it's what we in Germany call Liebstöckel which you can get in basically any mall/supermarket.

    • @krzysiekjasiok6744
      @krzysiekjasiok6744 Před 3 lety +31

      same here, I live in Silesia, Poland. It turns out that lovage is „lubczyk” in Polish (and „maga” in Silesian) and is one of the most popular herbs; I cannot imagine a chicken broth without lovage in it.

    • @Xia-hu
      @Xia-hu Před 3 lety +12

      @@krzysiekjasiok6744 yeah same here, it's lestyán in Hungarian and grows wild in many gardens over here :D

    • @lordmuhehe4605
      @lordmuhehe4605 Před 3 lety +16

      Well he said that it grows in central Europe. But it's not widely available in USA

    • @krzysiekjasiok6744
      @krzysiekjasiok6744 Před 3 lety +23

      @@lordmuhehe4605 which is one of many obscure differences between the US and EU, that's why it shocked me so much i wrote a comment about it

    • @MichaelROC
      @MichaelROC Před 3 lety +25

      In Mandarin it's 歐當歸, literally means European(歐, ou) female-ginseng(當歸, dang-guey).
      Like 當歸 itself, the root of lovage is also dried and used in Chinese medicine. But fresh lovage leaves are very rare, if not absent, in the market.
      In short, I am using celery.

  • @katherinejohnson2921
    @katherinejohnson2921 Před 3 lety +7

    HOW am I just now finding this channel?! As a classicist and someone who LOVES to cook, I'm SO excited!!

  • @marccark2764
    @marccark2764 Před rokem +3

    I first watched this video 2 years ago... I think it was actually the first (or second) of yours that I had seen. It's just popped up as a suggestion in my feed again and I had to come back and just say how much I and my family love this recipe... Over the last 2 years it's become a regular on our house menu, and always goes down well be it Sunday dinner or guests coming over... the kids also love it!... Thank you Max... please keep up the good work! :)

  • @TheArtistOfKuroo
    @TheArtistOfKuroo Před 3 lety +119

    The first sentence of the recipe is really odd in Latin. Apicius says “pullum aperies a navi et in quadrato ornas.” That translates to “You will open the chicken from the ship and arrange it in a square.” The phrase “a navi” is confusing and it looks like some translators have interpreted it as navo (navus) for diligent or careful, but that doesn’t make grammatical or contextual sense with the preposition “a.”
    I wonder if Apicius was using navis, ship as a synonym for carina, keel, and is saying to cut the chicken open from the keel, effectively a reverse spatchcock.

    • @KB4QAA
      @KB4QAA Před 3 lety +22

      I think you are correct about the keel and ship analogy. Likewise a chicken torso has the shape of an upside down ship (flat on one side, rounding to the pointed keel).

    • @TheMachineWorker
      @TheMachineWorker Před 3 lety +26

      That sounds pretty reasonable. In my mothertongue (Norwegian) we use the term 'skrog' which translates to a ship's hull to refer to the breast of poultry when preparing it.

    • @NobleHorse-gq4li
      @NobleHorse-gq4li Před 3 lety +3

      I was thinking the same thing, birds have a keel so it makes sense. This was an awesome episode!

    • @Jacob-yg7lz
      @Jacob-yg7lz Před 3 lety +1

      It makes sense if you view it as meaning the navel.

    • @hooptiej
      @hooptiej Před 3 lety +1

      makes amazing sense , some folks refer to the chicken breastbone as the keel.

  • @ajconstantine3593
    @ajconstantine3593 Před 3 lety +515

    This just showed up in my feed this morning outta nowhere, so totally unfamiliar w this guy & channel.
    What a FANTASTIC concept & format! Ancient recipes w ancient ingredients, and an earnest history lesson as the food’s cooking?! ... WITH graphics??
    What I loved most is that he REALLY DID take his time to let the flavors register in his brain, gave careful thought before speaking, and ended w a WELL-considered description of the outcome (knowing his words are the only thing we have to hang our hats on). Bravo, good SIR! Take yerself a bow! 👏👏👏👏 Sure earned MY sub! 👍👍👍

    • @kateshiningdeer3334
      @kateshiningdeer3334 Před 3 lety +6

      This was my first video from this channel - I instantly subscribed!

    • @Janettemay64
      @Janettemay64 Před 3 lety +4

      I think you would like emmymadeinjapan also, she too goes into where the recipe comes from with a very considered critique on taste and texture.

    • @ormonddude
      @ormonddude Před 3 lety +4

      I ran across the Garum video on Facebook and have Binged nearly his entire production it is very well done informative entertaining and educational - What Else could you ask for?

    • @casinodelonge
      @casinodelonge Před 3 lety +3

      Its fab, isnt it?

    • @KickyFut
      @KickyFut Před 3 lety +2

      Just wait till you see all his other videos! He really is a fantastic producer of entertaining content.

  • @julians7268
    @julians7268 Před rokem +7

    This channel never ceases to amaze me. I've long been without cable because with a few streaming services and CZcams channels like this, I'm never short of awesome, educational and entertaining content.

  • @vishal7arora
    @vishal7arora Před 2 lety +10

    Asofetida (we call it heeng) is so uniformly present in modern indian cuisine and the feeling you get of surprise how it changes after cooking has always fascinated me.
    I often find 'indian cuisine' in most western countries now skip such key ingredients...the aroma of heeng, if you wanna call it that, is so prevalent on the streets of india with peddlers cooking glorious flavorful fast food that you come to associate it with delicious food...and dont hate it.

  • @supergeek1418
    @supergeek1418 Před 3 lety +91

    FYI: Asafoetida (when cooked) tastes (and smells) like leeks.
    It *TOTALLY* loses it's decomposing flesh type smell.

    • @MymilanitalyBlogspot
      @MymilanitalyBlogspot Před 3 lety +1

      I’m curious...have you tried the same dish prepared with the different ingredients, and then compared them? Is there a noticeable difference in the resulting taste? Sincere thanks for the leeks tip!

    • @supergeek1418
      @supergeek1418 Před 3 lety +1

      @iTheGeek
      Dead cats, dogs, etc. by the side of the road.
      Other than that, ... I don't want to talk about it.

    • @supergeek1418
      @supergeek1418 Před 3 lety +2

      @iTheGeek
      What I meant was the rotting meat sometimes found in the back of the refrigerator, - that I was embarrassed to talk about... Yeh, that's it. Yeh. Promise!

    • @NoOne-on4vt
      @NoOne-on4vt Před 3 lety

      I'm scared i love the smell of hing 😭

    • @supergeek1418
      @supergeek1418 Před 3 lety +2

      @iTheGeek
      Uhh...
      Out of curiosity, how many does it take to be considered a serial killer? Asking for a friend.

  • @bewareoftheginge
    @bewareoftheginge Před 3 lety +96

    Fun fact about caraway seeds: the molecule you can smell (carvone) is the mirrored molecule of mint. So, if you smell them side-by-side, there are many similarities. It's the same difference with lemon and orange, which are mirrored limonene.
    *Edit:* I've been informed carvone is in spearmint, but not peppermint.

    • @mayurmahale3049
      @mayurmahale3049 Před 3 lety +5

      You mean the l and d variants?

    • @5roundsrapid263
      @5roundsrapid263 Před 3 lety +6

      Chiral molecules? Fascinating.

    • @bewareoftheginge
      @bewareoftheginge Před 3 lety +5

      @@mayurmahale3049 Yes, I think L and D stand for Lambda and Delta, yes? I've mostly heard people referring to them as left-handed and right-handed.

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Před 3 lety +3

      To be more specific, R-(-)-carving can be found in spearmint, but not in peppermint.

    • @drewgehringer7813
      @drewgehringer7813 Před 3 lety +10

      @@bewareoftheginge close: l- and d- are "levo" and "dextro", the latin for left and right

  • @whatthe4059
    @whatthe4059 Před 3 lety +66

    I grew up in a small town and my friend circle included the only Indian boy in our grade. I remember his house was so interesting to me because my experience was so limited. The decor was "exotic," the kitchen smelled like curry and his mom was very hospitable and generous. She often offered me Indian snacks and had me try little bowls of what they were eating for dinner because um, I was a fat girl and I just wanted to try everything. She always made sure I had some Sprite as a back up in case it was too spicy (it wasn't, but I was really white and not used to anything involving flavor beyond salt and pepper). One day, my friend's brother was playing around and told me to try asafoetida. I almost ate some but Mom intervened and took the spice away after yelling at her kid. But I was curious, and I remember she allowed me to smell it. Holy. Jesus. I found it revolting at the time, with a smell that I could not describe other than "rank" or "foul." Many years later, I found myself trying to research authentic Indian food and Indian restaurant entree recipes and I came to understand how important that spice (it's actually a powdered resin) is along with other very pungent spices such as fenugreek and cumin if you want that truly authentic "Indian food" flavor which does NOT come in a jar or a bottle. As another comment says here, it's called "hing" in Hindi and it's very popular! They sell hing peanuts in the Indian/Asian grocery store and they're SO good! The asafoetida gives a very distinct lemony leek/garlic/onion flavor. Moral of the story: You never know what you might like/dislike. Disclaimer: Don't eat pungent spices whole and/or on a spoon, either. They're meant to be eaten diluted. Also, I'm still very white, and fat. Oh well. At least I've tried different things and have tried to understand other cultures and perspective. I love your channel.

    • @__nobody__
      @__nobody__ Před 3 lety +9

      Actually the sole trick with asafoetida / hing is to fry it a bit (usually in oil, lest it burns.) That changes it from putrid stink bomb to fruity-floral-oniony magic fairy dust. (Adding some is also a decent way to skip the onions in a dish.)

    • @patrickj8984
      @patrickj8984 Před 3 lety +4

      what does "very white " mean to you ?

    • @badgeraint
      @badgeraint Před 3 lety

      hing is also known as Devil's Dung....

    • @SundaysChild1966
      @SundaysChild1966 Před rokem +4

      Stay strong and enjoy your food .. from another very white and fat girl .. who tries anything once.

    • @xRepoUKx
      @xRepoUKx Před rokem +2

      @@patrickj8984 I think it's allusion to being a meat and potatoes kind of person; or meat and 2 veg as it's called here in the UK. No garlic, spices/seasonings (other than salt & pepper) etc.

  • @hilarylonsdale608
    @hilarylonsdale608 Před 3 lety +6

    I made this for dinner tonight for my family. It was so good and I wanted to say thank you! I really enjoy both history - with appropriately rigorous research and food - ditto, and your channel ticks both those boxes so splendidly.

  • @owenb8636
    @owenb8636 Před 3 lety +239

    Legend has it that Roman metalworkers improved on the piercing capabilities of the gladius by studying the design of this man's eyes

    • @invaderghostkungfu
      @invaderghostkungfu Před 3 lety +19

      ur right bro they're downright distracting

    • @PutoMedicoBrujo
      @PutoMedicoBrujo Před 3 lety +16

      ...If anyone ever proposes to me I WISH its with a dagger and THIS MASTERPIECE of a compliment

    • @princejaxisblack8789
      @princejaxisblack8789 Před 3 lety +11

      Ikr? Like I'm not gay, but damn-

    • @LoveAuntieJan
      @LoveAuntieJan Před 3 lety

      They certainly succeeded beyond all hopes! 💙💙

    • @PutoMedicoBrujo
      @PutoMedicoBrujo Před 3 lety +5

      @@princejaxisblack8789 Well, I am, and DAMN indeed

  • @mathcamel
    @mathcamel Před 3 lety +118

    My husband made this as a centerpiece of our Covid locked down Thanksgiving. It's absolutely amazing, I want to have this all the time. You've been a wonderful inspiration and you've really brought a whole new flavor profile into our lives.
    Like, I don't know if this recipe is worth a millennium of getting my ass kicked in the desert, but it's certainly worth a few legions.

    • @theallseeingmaster
      @theallseeingmaster Před 2 lety +1

      What kind of wind did you use? I'm considering a Moscato.

    • @mathcamel
      @mathcamel Před 2 lety

      @@theallseeingmaster we used a 10$ dry red wine from the local isle of the store.

    • @theallseeingmaster
      @theallseeingmaster Před 2 lety

      @@mathcamel what kind of red?

    • @mathcamel
      @mathcamel Před 2 lety +1

      @@theallseeingmaster I've tried, but I dont remember. It was probably a cabsav or merlot. It was red and cheap and that's what recommended it.

  • @peterkeane7767
    @peterkeane7767 Před 3 lety +1

    Wonderful! I so enjoy this! Educational and entertaining,all delivered with lashings of enthusiasm,wit and Charm.
    Its so refreshing to watch History being shared with such vitality and a real human quality.In such 'interesting times' such diversion is a real blessing.Thank you !

  • @niaru5850
    @niaru5850 Před 2 lety

    I am so glad I found this channel! So far this has probably been the most interesting of the series! Thank You for the quality content!

  • @mdeardley
    @mdeardley Před 3 lety +84

    Oh god, asafoetida. I used to have a Bangladeshi roommate, and I decided one day to take a good whiff of every one of the numerous spices in the cupboard. Practically
    passed out from inhaling some of that stuff. There’s a reason it’s the very last ingredient in South Asian masalas.

    • @adarshvenkateswaran795
      @adarshvenkateswaran795 Před 3 lety +9

      Waitup it might be because I've grown up with it in a ton of dishes for me, but I really like the smell, and I don't find it extensively strong either. Odd.

    • @noanRUA
      @noanRUA Před 3 lety +5

      Depends on how "diluted" it is I guess, but it's also a powder that gets less smelly as it gets old, so I'd honestly not like to imagine the fresh smell 😅

    • @trojanette8345
      @trojanette8345 Před 3 lety

      LMAO.

  • @razalin
    @razalin Před 3 lety +36

    When skilled cooks from Ancient Rome are still blowing culinary minds, thousands of years later.

  • @RowanWilliams
    @RowanWilliams Před 2 lety +7

    I spent 9 months trying to grow lovage to make this dish. I finally did it today.
    It's great, and tastes much as Max describes! I would add that lovage comes with a hint of pungent, curry-like flavour. If you can't get it, I reckon a pinch or two of ground fenugreek seeds added to the celery leaves would get you closer to recreating it.
    Main advice: check the pan towards the end of the cooking time. I used a metal roasting tin and my sauce nearly completely evaporated off, which would've then burned. I topped it up with some hot water from the kettle and it was fine. You're less likely to face this issue if you use a ceramic dish.

    • @catc8927
      @catc8927 Před rokem +2

      Mad props to you for going to the extent of growing lovage just to cook this recipe!

  • @Allswell510
    @Allswell510 Před 4 měsíci +2

    Just cooked this for my boyfriend and I. He was extremely apprehensive to eat chicken with „stinky devil‘s powder“, stinky fish sauce and cheap red wine. It was absolutely DELICIOUS! We loved it! Thanks for bringing Apicius to the masses ❤

  • @katybechnikova2821
    @katybechnikova2821 Před 3 lety +275

    English is my second language. When I heard the ingredients I was like "What's this exotic lovage ingredient? What is the reason why American people don't have it?" Then I googled and I realised I have it on my balcony and just earlier today, I added it in my vegetable soup. Slav culture? Maybe. :D

    • @joosttijsen3559
      @joosttijsen3559 Před 3 lety +1

      whats it called in ur language?

    • @katybechnikova2821
      @katybechnikova2821 Před 3 lety +15

      @@joosttijsen3559 libeček

    • @directrulefromgamerchair3947
      @directrulefromgamerchair3947 Před 3 lety +10

      Hardbass, lovage and apparently furs. Real slav hours

    • @d.b.2215
      @d.b.2215 Před 3 lety +11

      I live in Germany and it's easy to find lovage here as well. The Germans call it Liebstöckel. It's seen as a bit of an old people's herb but if you go looking for it there's still plenty of places selling.

    • @Smallpotato1965
      @Smallpotato1965 Před 3 lety +11

      @@joosttijsen3559 In Dutch it's called 'maggiplant', because it tastes like the condiment 'maggi', lol.

  • @bluedragontwo
    @bluedragontwo Před 3 lety +147

    A good American alternative to lovage is celery leaves from the small inside stalks, they give the same bitter-sweet flavor.

    • @snazzypazzy
      @snazzypazzy Před 3 lety +9

      I was really surprised when I googled what lovage was, cause I was expecting something exotic, and I got something that grows very easily in my parents garden. I always think it smells like soup when I rub the fresh leaves. Just overwhelming soup. I'm curious how the taste is when freezedried, because if you pick it and just let it dry naturally you lose nearly all of the flavour.

    • @bluedragontwo
      @bluedragontwo Před 3 lety +6

      @@snazzypazzy I think the freeze-dried version would retain more flavor than dehydrating but I'm sure you are correct in thinking it would lose something in the process. I love the taste of fresh lovage. It's really easy to grow just in a pot but if you don't have it the celery leaves are the next best thing.

    • @dorothydean8643
      @dorothydean8643 Před 3 lety +3

      Grocery stores often cut the leaves off these days. Dried celery leaves taste nothing like fresh. Frozen might work. Will try that.

    • @bluedragontwo
      @bluedragontwo Před 3 lety

      @hognoxious Borage leaves always reminded me a bit of cucumbers but there is something about it that puts me off.

    • @jospinner1183
      @jospinner1183 Před 3 lety +1

      @@bluedragontwo I find the flavor of borage leaves appealing, but the leaves are so uncomfortably furry and itchy that I'm never inclined to eat it. I just let it bloom so the pollinators can enjoy it. I've used it as a cocktail garnish before, though.
      Lovage is super easy to grow, and I recommend it as an addition to any good herb garden. It's a care-free perennial that just sort of hangs out in the garden, year to year. It doesn't spread horizontally from the basal rosette, but it can grow to over 6 feet in height, so it's a good one to stick in the back. Pollinators like the flowers too.
      A word of caution, however: Do not mistake culinary lovage ( _Levisticum officinale_ ) with any of a variety of related wild species called lovage (mostly genus _Ligusticum_ ). They're all members of the family Apiaceae, and this family has several highly toxic members, including the Old World hemlocks ( _Conium_ spp) and the New World water hemlocks ( _Cicuta_ spp). While there are some edible wild Apiaceae members, it's best not to mess around.

  • @kevinjohnson8220
    @kevinjohnson8220 Před 3 lety +9

    Asafoetida is one of my favorite spices and if you've eaten lentils or pickles in an Indian restaurant then you've eaten it before. It reminds me of truffle in some ways in that a little goes a long way

  • @martymilner6714
    @martymilner6714 Před rokem +1

    Hello Max! I just discovered your channel and enjoy it immensely! Your presentation of the dishes are great and the background stories are well researched and informative.
    Marty from Canada

  • @phoenixyoder5729
    @phoenixyoder5729 Před 3 lety +66

    I bought asofoetida at an Asian market, and then had no idea what to do with it. Two weeks later,I got a cold, layed up on the couch desperate to be entertained when lo and behold....a great idea I had all the stuff for already! Stoked! My whole family has asked for this to be regularly featured at the dinner table.

    • @colingeer479
      @colingeer479 Před 2 lety +2

      Yay, we need to bring back Roman cookery! Parthian Chicken is now a regular family favourite in our house!

  • @sedimaster
    @sedimaster Před 3 lety +101

    That Pidgeotto in the back is looking at you like "how dare you cook a bird"

    • @catherined6973
      @catherined6973 Před 3 lety +2

      I kinda love how the pokemon change with every episode.

  • @hotelsierra7441
    @hotelsierra7441 Před 2 lety +6

    Yesterday I cooked the recipe and invited my parents to dinner - everyone agreed that even though the taste is unusual, it's great. It will definitely be included in our favorite recipes. Thanks

  • @justbloggin7407
    @justbloggin7407 Před rokem

    I love your channel! You're so funny and informative. I came across it like two weeks ago and I've been binge watching it ever since. Thank you! 🌺

  • @phoenixantis6994
    @phoenixantis6994 Před 3 lety +280

    Me: *eat banquet frozen fried chicken with mac n cheese*
    Max: aSaFOeTiDA

  • @DanielleStJohn
    @DanielleStJohn Před 3 lety +128

    Heck yeah, full episode on silphium! Although, tbh, I'm all for creators doing the things they're into, especially if it's also going to have to go through research and production and video editing and all that stuff that goes into a CZcams video. #liveyourbestlife
    OOO that Parthian Shot thing was one of the things I found most impressive about the Rohirrim in that fight with the Uruk-Hai in Two Towers! Suuuuch a cool visual.
    I wonder if the glass jewelry was a predecessor to Murano glass...

  • @arkadiuszzet2208
    @arkadiuszzet2208 Před rokem +3

    Hi Max. we're from Poland and lovage is the herb we use a lot. there is no traditional Polish Sunday dinner without chicken and veggie broth cooked with it as must-have ingredient. We grow it in our garden for years now and use to cook lots of dishes. Pasta cooked with few leaves of lovage is best pasta ever. some say it is like natural version of MSG. Lovage - as the name suggests - you will love it, once you tried it 🙂

  • @braggarmybrat
    @braggarmybrat Před rokem +1

    Ok. I just made this with a young turkey (happy Thanksgiving!) and OMG. Sharing this with friends and foes. Love you Max, thanks!

  • @abyrupus
    @abyrupus Před 3 lety +45

    "I don't know what I'm tasting"
    Asafoetida
    "It's a bit umami"
    Definitely Asafoetida. It gives a strong dried-onion, mushroom, jerk-y flavor when cooked.

    • @ajlikins
      @ajlikins Před 3 lety

      Lovage also has a herby umami flavor so it could be either of those - of both.

  • @stephenclements6158
    @stephenclements6158 Před 3 lety +34

    My wife just made this for me, and it is lovely. The longer I let the flavor sit on my tongue the more I get out of it, and it is very pleasant.

  • @jimconrads9515
    @jimconrads9515 Před měsícem

    OMG, this like the 5th or 6th time I’ve digested this incredible experience. You inspire us all!! Totally disconnected in time and space, I aspire to provide a glorious culinary experience based on your hard work and research. Thank you Max!! You’re awesome and bring such richness and joy to our lives.

  • @stephanieh.777
    @stephanieh.777 Před 2 lety +6

    I've used asafoetida for years, mainly as an ingredient in Indian cuisine, but also in Persian. Perhaps it's a love-it-or-hate-it spice, but it adds a unique flavour to the right dishes!

  • @csongorkakuk5871
    @csongorkakuk5871 Před 3 lety +105

    As a Hungarian, the most interesting part of this video for me was when you told about the Parthians shooting backwards on their horses. It has been said back and forth a million times over here that this battle technique was invented by and unique to scavenging Old Hungarians in the Middle Ages. Well at least that's what I've always heard and the vast majority think. It's something that our more "patriotic" fellows are incredibly proud of and many still practice to this day. This is definitely the most shocking yet funniest piece of information of the week for me. lol

    • @alanOHALAN
      @alanOHALAN Před 3 lety +27

      it was very typical shooting method in the northern Asia grassland by the nomad warriors. they really liked to feign retreat and trap their enemies. even the Chinese used it too.

    • @rohan1_
      @rohan1_ Před 3 lety +26

      I’m betting all of sorts of cultures did it, all over the world, because it’s a very basic concept.

    • @anomienormie8126
      @anomienormie8126 Před 3 lety +6

      It’s seen in ancient Korean (Goguryeo) battle tactics as well lol

    • @Baktrianos
      @Baktrianos Před 2 lety +19

      @@rohan1_ The thing is that the "Parthian shot" was described by ancient historians as a parthian war tactic.
      Although we have numerous central asia nomad tribes described as prominent in horse archery, we never had an account of other tribes using this technique BEFORE the Parthians.
      So while we have numerous account of Scythians, for example, we don't have anyone telling us that they used this tactic.
      While the technique may have become very popular for horse archers, and central asia nomads in general, we don't have any account of any tribe or culture using this shot before.
      So yeah, probably Parthians where pioneers in this, and of course, since it was a useful tactic, it became a standard for horse archers.. (So the huns, the mongols, the hungarians, the cumans, the pechenegs and so on probably used it).
      It the same with many other combat strategies, like using stirrups on horses. Unknown accessory in Europe until the Huns came in.
      From that day on, a new way of fighting on horseback developed, and a few centuries later we'll have knights all around Europe, Anatolia and middle East.
      Basic concept, unless you never thought about it. And a game changer concept.

    • @Qwufi
      @Qwufi Před 2 lety +2

      As also a hungarian I never heard of that we were the inventors of this battle tactic. We were successful but other nomadic nations used it as well.

  • @MintyFarts
    @MintyFarts Před 3 lety +183

    Celiacs beware: Asafoetida aka Hing is often cut with wheat products for indian cuisine. look for pure hing that declares any possible cross contamination.

    • @timarigirl32
      @timarigirl32 Před 3 lety +7

      Thanks for the warning. So hard to find gluten free spices 😫.

    • @directrulefromgamerchair3947
      @directrulefromgamerchair3947 Před 3 lety

      @@timarigirl32 it is? I'm a coeliac and my spice cupboard is overflowing with exotic spices

    • @MintyFarts
      @MintyFarts Před 3 lety +7

      @DurexDurpaneu2 not if you have an autoimmune disease where your body mistakes it for danger and destroys your own organs when you eat it. Believe me, if I could eat it I would. Gluten is amazing, just some of us mutants can't handle its awesomeness.

    • @timarigirl32
      @timarigirl32 Před 3 lety +10

      @@directrulefromgamerchair3947 I have many spices in my cabinet too. It’s hard to find ones that are truly gluten free where I live. Some of them aren’t even exotic kind of spices. I had to change a brand of black pepper that had been safe/gluten free up until now. Spices are something that should be gluten free naturally but some companies cut corners in their products... 😔🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

    • @directrulefromgamerchair3947
      @directrulefromgamerchair3947 Před 3 lety

      @@timarigirl32 this is all news to me lol

  • @hallypotter7235
    @hallypotter7235 Před 2 lety

    This is the best channel ever!! I watched all your videos in less than 24 hours. Fantastic job!!

  • @colingeer479
    @colingeer479 Před 3 lety +4

    I've made this twice now and tweaked the amounts a little until i was happy and it is a wonderful dish! Like Max says, it's subtle, yet aromatic and a real show stopper! Eccelente!

  • @ryandean3162
    @ryandean3162 Před 3 lety +285

    The Parthian Shot is one of those few tactics the Romans never really got around. Would have required a complete rework of their army composition, since it was mostly made up of heavy infantry without many archers or cavalry. Parthians ride up and start shooting, if the infantry gives chase, they run away while still shooting, if the infantry stops, they stop and keep shooting, if the infantry runs away, they chase and keep shooting. Then you think, well, I'll just dig in and wait for them to run out of arrows, too bad, they already thought of that and have dedicated riders for running between their supplies and the archers for keeping them stocked up. Any army in the open without the means to do the same thing is screwed.
    I'd also like to point out that it's definitely not Russian furs as the Rus weren't even a thing yet, so Scythian furs probably.

    • @zeriel9148
      @zeriel9148 Před 3 lety +25

      Thing about the dominance of horse archery is it was tied to its particular place. There's a lot of talk about the Huns destroying Romans in pitched battles, but you never hear about them administrating a massive empire or conquering hill cities. Mounted archers were invulnerable on plains, but not that useful for siegework. Romans built the core of their power on a mountainous peninsula fighting other hill tribes, horse archers wouldn't have done them much good there.

    • @Mikeanglo
      @Mikeanglo Před 3 lety +4

      Uhm...didn't the Romans sack Ctesiphon like 4 or 5 times during the Roman-Parthian wars? Apparently it didn't screw them enough to stop multiple emperors from invading.

    • @zeriel9148
      @zeriel9148 Před 3 lety +3

      @@Mikeanglo Afair Parthians cavalry was all nobles/aristocracy, so when they had any casualties it was like losing your senators/political class. Meanwhile for Huns and steppe tribes, the cavalry were... everyone.

    • @justdude2775
      @justdude2775 Před 3 lety +2

      So basically it was an ancient version of suppressing the enemy with a machinegun.

    • @sephikong8323
      @sephikong8323 Před 3 lety +7

      @@Mikeanglo Yep pretty much
      You have to keep in mind that nobody ever really won these wars, there would always be one of the two empires that made some progress then get pushed back by a counter offensive/they had to retreat for X/Y/Z reason (this extends also to the Sassanian although they had an overall better track record at fighting the roman). And as fearsome as the parthian mounted archers were, they were not their entire military and could not be fully mobilised all the time either (for example, it was their best weapon against the scythian tribes so if they got raided during a war with Rome, which is to say every war with Rome since raids almost never stop, they couldn't send all of their horsemen there, and even their tactical superiority doesn't mean strategic victory either

  • @kencur9690
    @kencur9690 Před 3 lety +75

    Man I really like the old school graphic, format and styling (which actually requires work, unlike the template stuff on YT). It’s clearly more fun to watch too, and I’m sure this is not just the nostalgia speaking. Great job!

  • @phelpysan
    @phelpysan Před 3 lety +4

    Love this recipe - made it twice before and doing so now as well! Added some parsley to the celery leaf as I'd heard lovage has a parsley flavour to it.

  • @ellenjampole1905
    @ellenjampole1905 Před 3 lety

    Love the music. It goes very well with the episode. You work magic with words & food.

  • @LivingSoftly
    @LivingSoftly Před 3 lety +261

    Me recommending this channel to my friends: Guys, want to see an immortal chef pretend to be modern?

    • @caro1ns
      @caro1ns Před 3 lety +16

      Gosh that makes complete sense. (And would explain the mesmerizing eyes too 😀)

    • @autumnramble
      @autumnramble Před 3 lety +12

      Well, I recommending it as a"Captain America's grandson has that really awesome cooking channel".

    • @calebleland8390
      @calebleland8390 Před 3 lety +3

      @@autumnramble If I don't eventually see a Captain America plushie in the background soon, I'll be disappointed.

    • @LivingSoftly
      @LivingSoftly Před 3 lety +1

      @@autumnramble That makes so much sense 😂

  • @rz9297
    @rz9297 Před 3 lety +66

    I made this! It's actually REALLY good. Everyone loved it. It took caraway in a direction I've never experienced before.

  • @chrisitinabobinski3798

    TY for the description of the flavor that’s quite a good thing to have thank you.

  • @respther2003
    @respther2003 Před 2 lety

    Wow! Just made this recipe tonight and my husband and I loved it! Found all of the ingredients on Amazon and the finished dish was incredible. The lovage and caraway seed was interesting and I’ll be making this dish a lot. 😊❤️

  • @swolejeezy2603
    @swolejeezy2603 Před 3 lety +393

    Hit us up with that video about “siliphium” or however that’s spelled - amazing that people used to cook with things that don’t exist anymore

    • @pirateyarn6331
      @pirateyarn6331 Před 3 lety +6

      @TastingHistory - This. Yes, please

    • @Neufutur
      @Neufutur Před 3 lety +32

      @WalkOnBye That's the stuff that Romans made extinct because it was the best birth control ever, right? I believe they said it had a heart-like shape.

    • @palmolive2005
      @palmolive2005 Před 3 lety +3

      Please do this -- I've seen the story before and knew it back when I was a kid. It's good content!

    • @bedstuyrover
      @bedstuyrover Před 3 lety +26

      @WalkOnBye There is a branch of science in which ancient seeds are encouraged to germinate; it might be possible to grow the plant if, perhaps, the seeds can be found- in a tomb, for example.

    • @diggydude5229
      @diggydude5229 Před 3 lety +20

      @@bedstuyrover The last known stalk would be in Nero's tomb.
      Siliphium was a cheaper substitute for asafoetida, and Roman writers used the same word to describe both.

  • @Stupha_Kinpendous
    @Stupha_Kinpendous Před 3 lety +28

    Every episode gets better. This one was aces, and your channel is one of my favorites now. Fantastic work, and thank you.

  • @nerdyninjatemptress
    @nerdyninjatemptress Před rokem

    2:37 that gulp, man you’re not just educational and interesting to listen to, you have great comedic timing! I love it!